Display device having anti-fog transparent protection plate

ABSTRACT

An exemplary display device ( 10 ) includes a display module ( 11 ), a frame ( 12 ), a porous material member ( 13 ), and a transparent protection plate ( 14 ). The frame has a receiving cavity ( 121 ). The display module is confined in the receiving cavity of the frame. The transparent protection plate is configured in front of the light output side of the display module. The porous material member is located between the front surface ( 122 ) of the frame and the transparent protection plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a display device, and moreparticularly to a flat-panel display device having a transparentprotection plate.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

In recent years, there has been an increase in demand for flat-paneldisplay devices for use in, electronic products such as personal digitalassistants, mobile phones, portable personal computers, televisions,etc. This is because the flat-panel display devices have a thinnerstructure or configuration in contrast to a cathode ray tube displaydevice. Generally, the flat-panel display device may be a liquid crystaldisplay device, a plasma display device, a field emission displaydevice, an electroluminescent display device, etc. In particularly, theliquid crystal display device is typically used to represent theflat-panel display device, because the liquid crystal display devicescurrently have the largest market and the fastest development speed.

In a liquid crystal display device, a screen of the liquid crystaldisplay device should be clean to see a clear display. Generally, thescreen of the liquid crystal display is made of a delicate material thatis easily scratched when cleaned and/or collided with a rough object.

In order to prevent the screen from being scratched, a sturdytransparent plate is generally configured on a frame of the liquidcrystal display device to protect the screen. The screen of the liquidcrystal display device and the rigid transparent plate are spaced apartfrom one another, therefore an interspace is defined between the screenand the rigid transparent plate. To avoid condensation generated on therigid transparent plate when water vapors in the interspace comes incontact with the rigid transparent plate with a cooler temperaturerelative to the screen, some holes that regulate ventilation between theinterspace and ambient environment is needed. However, dust particleswould enter the interspace through the holes, and thus the screen of theliquid crystal display device would be contaminated.

Therefore, a new display device is desired in order to overcome theabove-described shortcomings.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a display device includes a frame, a display module, atransparent protection plate, and a porous material member. The framehas a receiving cavity. The display module is received in the receivingcavity of the frame. The transparent protection plate is configured onthe light output side of the display module. The porous material memberis located at an edge between the display module and the transparentprotection plate.

Other novel features will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating principles ofthe present display device. Moreover, in the drawings, like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and allthe views are schematic.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a display device in accordance with afirst preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembled, side, cross-sectional view of the display deviceof FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional view of a display device in accordancewith a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side, cross-sectional view of a display device in accordancewith a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a display device in accordance with afourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferredembodiments of the present display device in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a display device 10 according to a firstembodiment is shown. The display device 10 includes a liquid crystaldisplay module 11, a frame 12, a porous material member 13, and atransparent protection plate 14. The liquid crystal display module 11includes a light output surface 111. The frame 12 includes a frontsurface 122 and side rims extending rearwards from a periphery of thefront surface 122. The front surface 122 further defines a viewingwindow. The front surface 122 and the side rims cooperatively define areceiving cavity 121 behind the front surface 122. After assembly, theframe 12 confines the liquid crystal display module 11 in the receivingcavity 121 of the frame 12. The transparent protection plate 14 isdisposed in front of the light output surface 111 of the liquid crystaldisplay module 11. The porous material member 13 is located between thefront surface 122 of the frame 12 and the transparent protection plate14. The transparent protection plate 14 and the light output surface 111of the liquid crystal display module 11 are spaced apart from oneanother, and an interspace 15 is defined between the transparentprotection plate 14 and the light output surface 111 of the liquidcrystal display module 11.

The transparent protection plate 14 is used for protecting the lightoutput surface 111 of the liquid crystal display module 11 from damagesby excessive force applied on it by an object. The transparentprotection plate 14 can be made of a material selected from a groupconsisting of plastic, glass, and any suitable combination thereof.

The porous material member 13 is used to regulate ventilation betweenthe interspace 15 and ambient environment. The porous material member 13is made of a porous material. Typically, the porous material can be aporous polymer material or a porous composite polymer material, such aspolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) porous material. A structure of theporous material member 13 can be configured according to a shape of thefront surface 122 of the frame 12. In this embodiment, the porousmaterial member 13 includes a first surface interconnecting with theframe 12 and a second surface located at the opposite side of the firstsurface interconnecting with the transparent protection plate 14,furthermore, is substantially a rectangular frame in shape correspondingthe front surface 122 of the frame 12. The first surface and the secondsurface of the porous material member 13 are substantially parallel tothe transparent protection plate 14 and the light output surface 111 ofthe liquid crystal display module 11 respectively. The porous materialmember 13, the frame 12, and the transparent protection plate 14 can befixed together by at least one of a piece of double-sided adhesive tape,a solid adhesive, and glue, or by at least one of a fastening member anda latching member.

Since the porous material member 13 is foam-like and defines many poresinterconnecting with each other, the porous material member 13 canregulate ventilation between the interspace 15 and ambient environmentwhile filtering out dust particles. The display device 10 prevents fogsforming on the transparent protection plate 14 and dust particlesentering the interspace 15 simultaneously, thus maintaining a cleardisplay. It should be pointed out that an effectiveness of filtering outthe dust particles by the porous material member 13 could be improved bydecreasing a pore size of the porous material member 13.

Referring to FIG. 3, a display device 20 according to a secondembodiment is shown. The display device 20 includes a liquid crystaldisplay module 21, a frame 22, a porous material member 23, and atransparent protection plate 24. The display device 20 is similar inprinciple to the display device 10 described above. However, the frame22 has a front surface 222 and a flange portion 223 protruding forwardlyfrom an outer edge of the front surface 222. The front surface 222 andthe flange portion 223 cooperatively define a first room for receivingthe porous material member 23. The porous material member 23 is engagedwith the front surface 122 of the frame 22 in shape, and includes abottom portion 231 and a bent portion 232 that is distal from a centerof the display device 20. The bottom portion 231 and the bent portion232 cooperatively define a second room for receiving the transparentprotection plate 24. By using the first room and the second room toreceive the porous material member 23 and the transparent protectionplate 24 respectively, the porous material member 23 and the transparentprotection plate 24 can be firmly fixed on the frame 22.

Referring to FIG. 4, a display device 30 according to a third embodimentis shown. The display device 30 includes a liquid crystal display module31, a frame 32, a porous material member 33, and a transparentprotection plate 34. The display device 30 is similar in principle tothe display device 10 described above. However, the transparentprotection plate 34 defines a plurality of through holes 341 around anedge of the transparent protection plate 34 adjacent the porous materialmember 33. The through holes 341 are adopted to increase an interactionbetween ambient environment and the porous material member 33, therebyimproving a ventilation effectiveness and ventilation efficiency betweenambient environment and a interspace 35 defined between the transparentprotection plate 34 and the liquid crystal display module 31. It shouldbe pointed out that the through holes 341 could be filled up with aporous material as well.

Referring to FIG. 5, a display device 40 according to a fourthembodiment is shown. The display device 40 includes a liquid crystaldisplay module 41, a frame 42, a porous material member 43, and atransparent protection plate 44. The display device 40 is similar inprinciple to the display device 10 described above. However, the porousmaterial member 43 is made of porous material units 431, 432. In anillustrated embodiment, each of the porous material units 431, 432 is anelongated rectangular sheet in shape. It can be understood that theporous material member 43 can be made of one of the porous material unit431, 432, while some other subject are used to replace the rest porousmaterial unit 431, 432. The display device 40 may be cost efficient.

It is noted that the scope of the present display devices is not limitedto the embodiments described above. For example, in the display device10, the porous material member 13 can be located between the frontsurface 122 of the frame 12 and light output surface 111 of the displaymodule 11. In addition, the liquid crystal display module of the displaydevice can be substituted by one of a plasma display module, a fieldemission display module, and an electroluminescent display module

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferredor exemplary embodiments of the invention.

1. A display device, comprising: a frame having a receiving cavity; adisplay module received in the receiving cavity of the frame; atransparent protection plate configured on a light output side of thedisplay module; and a porous material member located at an edge betweenthe display module and the transparent protection plate.
 2. The displaydevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display module is selectedfrom a group consisting of a liquid crystal display module, a plasmadisplay module, a field emission display module, and anelectroluminescent display module.
 3. The display device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the transparent protection plate is made of a materialselected from a group consisting of plastic, glass, and any combinationthereof.
 4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porousmaterial member is made of a porous polymer material or a porouscomposite polymer material.
 5. The display device as claimed in claim 4,wherein the porous material member is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.6. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porous materialmember comprises a first surface interconnecting with the frame, and asecond surface located at the opposite side of the first surfaceinterconnecting with the transparent protection plate.
 7. The displaydevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a frontsurface and a flange portion protruding from the front surface, thefront surface and the flange portion cooperatively define a room forreceiving the porous material member and the transparent protectionplate.
 8. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thetransparent protection plate defines a plurality of through holes in atleast one edge thereof corresponding to the porous material member. 9.The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame, thetransparent protection plate and the porous material member are fixedtogether by at least one of a piece of double-sided adhesive tape, solidadhesive, and glue, or by at least one of a fastening member and alatching member.
 10. The display device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe porous material member is substantially a rectangular frame inshape.
 11. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the porousmaterial member is made of at least one porous material unit, each ofthe at least one porous material unit is an elongated rectangular sheetin shape.
 12. A display device, comprising: a frame comprising a frontsurface and a plurality of side rims extending rearwards from aperiphery of the front surface, wherein the front surface defines awindow, the front surface and the side rims cooperatively defines areceiving cavity under the front surface; a display module having alight output surface confined in the receiving cavity; a transparentprotection plate located in front of the display module; and a porousmaterial member located between the front surface of the frame and thetransparent protection plate.
 13. The display device as claimed in claim12, wherein the transparent protection plate is made of a materialselected from a group consisting of plastic, glass, and any combinationthereof.
 14. The display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein theporous material member is made of a porous polymer material or a porouscomposite polymer material.
 15. The display device as claimed in claim12, wherein the frame further comprises a flange portion protruding fromthe front surface, the front surface and the flange portioncooperatively define a room for receiving the porous material member andthe transparent protection plate.
 16. The display device as claimed inclaim 12, wherein the transparent protection plate defines a pluralityof through holes in at least one edge thereof corresponding to theporous material member.
 17. The display device as claimed in claim 12,wherein the porous material member is substantially a rectangular framein shape.